VSCodium vs Notepad++

VSCodium9.2Visit Notepad++8.6Visit

Higher score VSCodium #2 in Editor Software 9.2/10 Free plan Free plan✓ 0 of 4 features Visit VSCodium

vs

Notepad++ #7 in Editor Software 8.6/10 Free plan Free plan✓ 0 of 4 features Visit Notepad++

• VSCodium fits best

  Developers seeking a free, telemetry-disabled VS Code build

• Notepad++ fits best

  Windows users wanting a capable free lightweight editor

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Side by side

Feature	VSCodium 9.2/10 Visit ↗	Notepad++ 8.6/10 Visit ↗
At a glance
Editor score	9.2	8.6
Ranking	#2 in Editor Software	#7 in Editor Software
Best for	Developers seeking a free, telemetry-disabled VS Code build	Windows users wanting a capable free lightweight editor
Pricing model	Free	Free
Starting price	Free plan	Free plan
Free plan	✓	✓
Free trial	—	—
Deployment	Desktop	Desktop
Platforms	Windows, macOS, Linux	Windows
Support	Community, Docs	Community, Docs
Built for	Solo, Small business, Mid-market, Enterprise	Solo, Small business
Features VSCodium 0/4 · Notepad++ 0/4
AI coding assistant	Not checked yet	Not checked yet
Extensions	Not checked yet	Not checked yet
Debugging tools	Not checked yet	Not checked yet
Live collaboration	Not checked yet	Not checked yet
Specs
Platforms	Not checked yet	Not checked yet
Our review
Pros	Free MIT-licensed builds for Windows, macOS, and Linux Telemetry is disabled by default Includes editing, debugging, remote development, and Open VSX extensions	Free, open-source editing for source code and plain text Multicursor, rectangular column editing and recordable macros Plugins Admin and configurable large-file settings
Cons	Some extensions restricted to official VS Code builds may not work Extensions are provided through Open VSX rather than the official VS Code build Support is through community resources and documentation	Available for Windows only Desktop deployment limits it to local computer use Support channels are community and documentation
Our verdict	VSCodium is a community-driven desktop distribution of Visual Studio Code binaries for developers who want a familiar code editor without Microsoft branding or telemetry enabled by default. Its builds are MIT-licensed and available for… Read the review →	Notepad++ is a free, open-source desktop editor for source code and plain text on Windows. It suits solo users and small teams who want editing tools beyond a basic text pad without a paid plan. It supports multiple programming and natural… Read the review →

Strengths and trade-offs

• VSCodium — where it wins

  • Free MIT-licensed builds for Windows, macOS, and Linux
  • Telemetry is disabled by default
  • Includes editing, debugging, remote development, and Open VSX extensions

  Where it doesn't

  • Some extensions restricted to official VS Code builds may not work
  • Extensions are provided through Open VSX rather than the official VS Code build
  • Support is through community resources and documentation

• Notepad++ — where it wins

  • Free, open-source editing for source code and plain text
  • Multicursor, rectangular column editing and recordable macros
  • Plugins Admin and configurable large-file settings

  Where it doesn't

  • Available for Windows only
  • Desktop deployment limits it to local computer use
  • Support channels are community and documentation

• VSCodium9.2/10 · Free plan

  A free desktop code editor for developers who want VS Code tooling without its telemetry.

  Visit VSCodiumFull verdict →
• Notepad++8.6/10 · Free plan

  A capable free desktop editor for Windows, with multicursor editing, macros and plugins.

  Visit Notepad++Full verdict →